Defending champions Kano Pillars kicked off their title defence in emphatic fashion alongside Niger FC, as both teams emerged standout performers on the opening day of the Nigeria Amputee Football Championship in Abuja.
Pillars edged Plateau State FC 2–1 in a closely contested match. Bethel Emmanuel opened the scoring for the champions before Abdullahi Mohammed equalised for Plateau. Emmanuel later restored Pillars’ lead, completing his brace to secure victory.
In another fixture, debutants Gida Gida FC put up a spirited fight but narrowly lost 1–0 to Niger FC, who clinched the win through Mohammed Nasiru’s decisive strike. Niger’s experience proved vital as they soaked up pressure to claim all three points.
Kano Pillars capped off a dominant opening day with a commanding 3–0 win over Kaduna FC, underlining their intent to retain the title. Despite playing twice in one day, the champions looked composed and clinical in attack.
President of the Nigeria Amputee Football Federation (NAFF), Paul Maduakor, expressed satisfaction with the level of competition and organisation, describing the event as a platform to scout talents ahead of the Amputee Football World Cup.
“I am impressed with the level of organisation and enthusiasm shown by the participants,” Maduakor said. “We’re confident that from this competition, we will select some of the best talents to represent Nigeria at the World Cup.”
Technical Director Victor Nwenwe also praised the quality of play, particularly from new entrants, noting that the tournament reflects the sport’s steady growth.
“The level of play has been impressive. The new teams have shown great potential, and we’re hopeful of discovering top talent among them,” he said.
Six teams — Kano Pillars, Kaduna FC, Niger FC, Plateau FC, Gida Gida FC, and Kano Pillars 2 — are competing in this year’s edition, which continues this week in Abuja.
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